Conventionally, liquid detergents are supplied to customers in large drums and the detergent reservoir in the dishwashing machine is regularly filled up from the drums. This is a laborious and inconvenient method of keeping the dishwashing machine topped up and could result in spillage of the liquid, which is often caustic, onto the operator's hands.
Alternatively, the detergent may be supplied from a relatively large drum and pumped into the dishwashing machine along a tube or otherwise dispensed directly into the dishwashing machine. Such pumping systems often cause spillage of the detergents when the operator is disconnecting and reconnecting the pumping system to the supply drum.
An aim of one aspect of the present invention is to provide a system whereby the liquid product can be supplied in relatively small containers which are fitted directly to the operative part of a machine, for example the dispenser of a dishwashing machine, thereby minimizing or eliminating spilling and leakage. An aim of a further aspect of the invention is to provide a system whereby the liquid product can be easily and cleanly dispensed along a tube again minimizing or eliminating spillage and soiling of the user's hands.